Liquid treating apparatus



Jan. '10, 1950 H. E. SCARBROUGH ET AL 2,494,361

LIQUID TREATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1945 ghv um. 5 w 0 tw nc wsn mI m r. PO aN H y b Th e'nr Attorh ey.

Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT] OFFICE QUI TREA G APPARATUSHarry E; Scarbrough; Chicago, Ill., and Norman B. Jones, Ballston Lake,N. Y., assignors to GenggllkElectric Company, a-corporation of NewApplication August 28, 195;,j"Serial No. 613,094 1 fjg'cjaims(cider-133) 7 Our invention relates to liquid treatingappaiquenching'liquid in the tankupward through the ratus, moreparticularly totank apparatusfor quenching metallic articles, suchas-inzthehardening of steel articles, and has for itsobject simple andinexpensive means for minimizing. the splashing of the quench'liquidwhenthe articles are dropped into it. V

Y In carrying out our invention we provide means located below thesurface of the quench liquid for circulating the quench liquid so as toform a. high velocity deflecting curtain under the surface of the liquidwhereby turbulence is created in the liquid and splashing is minimized.

This splashing of the quenching liquid is especially disadvantageouswhen the heated articles are dropped from a heating furnace through anaperture in the lower wall of the furnace and a chute directly intdthequench tank. Infsuch installations the liquid has a tendency to splashupward for a very considerable distance and into the heating chamberwhere it vaporizes and produces carbon deposits which are veryobjectionable and may be the cause of failure of the h'eating apparatus.I

For a more complete understanding of our'invention reference should behad to the accom panying drawing, Fig. 1 of which is a fragmentarysectional view of the heat-treating apparatusembodying our invention,Fig. 2- is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view taken along the line 22of Fig. 1, while Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takenalong the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, we have shown our invention in one form inconnection with a heating furnace having heat-refractory walls I forming a closed heating chamber in which is mounted suitable heating means,such as electric heating resistors (not shown). The articles to beheated are carried on a conveyor 2 extending lengthwise of the furnaceand conveying the articles from the left toward the right, as indicatedby the arrows. At the righthand end of the conveyor the articles dropthrough an opening 3 in the bottom wall of the furnace and in apredetermined vertical path through a vertical pipe or chute 4, into aliquid tank 5. As shown the bottom wall of the furnace is suitablyconnected around the opening 3 to the upper end of the chute. In thetank is a suitable quenching liquid, such as oil, maintained at asuitable level indicated by the dotted line 6, To form a seal againstthe ingress of air through the chute 4 into the furnace, the chute isextended a short distance below the surface of the liquid.

For the purpose of preventing splashing of the chute into the furnacechamber when the articles are dropped into-the'quench tank, we provide ahigh velocity curtain of the quenching liquid or oil across the lowersubmerged end of the chute; This curtain of'liquid is setup by means of:a pump 1 driven by a suitable electric'motor (not shown) "forwithdrawing a quantity of the liquid from the tank through anintake-pipe 8 and forcing it back into the-tank through a pipe 9. Thepipe 9 is providedwith .two parallel closed end branches ill'and I-lmounted below the surface of the liquid on opposite sides of the lowerend of the chute 4, these branches being provided each with a series ofholes (Fig.- 2) in its inner side, i; e., the side opposite the otherbranch, whereby the liquid from the pump is forced in jets 12 from theseholes across the lower end of the, chute 4. As shown in Fig. 2, thebranches are provided respectively with holes Illa and I la. Preferably,the jets of "liquid are directed downward at an angle of substantially30 degrees withthe horizontal.

The opposed jets of liquid create a high velocity movement of the liquidin the tank horizontally and downwards across the lower end of the chutewhereby a high velocity oil curtain is formed under the surface of theliquid acros the lower end of the chute, together with turbulence of theliquid in'the lower end of the chute, which minimizes splashing upwardsin the chute. The liquid in the lower end of the chute is given asomewhat downward circulating movement as well as a horizontal movementwith rippling of the surface of the liquid. This motion of the liquidminimizes splashing in itself and, in the event of any limited amount ofsplashing, the splashed liquid continues its horizontal movement andstrikes the wall of the chute before reaching the furnace chamber.Preferably as shown, the chute is water cooled to prevent thevaporization of any splashed liquid, a water jacket l3 being shownaround the chute.

The inlet pipe 8 is connected to withdraw liquid from a coolerintermediate zone of the tank. An inclined conveyor I4 is provided bymeans of which the cooled articles are lifted out of the quench tank.

For the purpose of prolonging the cooling period and to prevent nickingand deformation of the hot articles, we provide a plurality of resilientwalls or plates for bouncing the articles in a zigzag path downwardthrough the tank as described and claimed in a copending application,Serial No. 612,388, filed by Norman B. Jones and August R. Ryan onAugust 24, 1945, assigned to the same assignee as this application.

As shown, three plates 95, I6, and I1 are provided arranged at rightangles with each other. The plate 15 is mounted just below the chute ina substantially 45 degree angle with the vertical. A hot article droppedthrough the. chute I, as indicated by the arrows;-strikes-the plate l5from. which it bounces toward the right and downward any suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. Liquid treating apparatus comprising a tank for containing a quantityof liquid, a chute extending: downward into; said tank; through whicharticles: aredropped into sa-id tank, a conduit in said tank adjacentthe lower end of said chute and onto the plate 16 and then back to theleft onto rm below the surface of the liquid in said tank, and

the plate ll. From the lowermost plate 11. the article bounces towardthe right into engagement with a pivoted hanging hinged. plate 128:from' which the article is deflected; downward onto a:

second hinged plate I9 having a-horizontal pivot 20. The free end of theplate 19 rides on the lower end of the inclinedconveyorlksolthatthearticlel rolls from the plate I9 onto the conveyor.Preferably the bounce plates and the hingedpivot.

plates 18 and 19 are provided each with a layer of resilientmaterial.vpreferably made of a: synthetic; oil resisting: rubber. As-shown, theplate 1:5. is: providedwith a. layer 21;; of. rubber on: which thearticles fall and similar rubberfllayersuare providedon' the-plates I-.6,,,.l 1-,; l-8- and t9; Each plate, for example, lmay bemade of 54;"steel material covered with, a. 1: thick layer or rubher; Preferably,the 'rubber layer issuitably' vulcanized to the: steel-,althoughthetwo-may be se cured together by bolts or-rivets. Preferably;- thepump'i-liS provided with a sec; ondoutlet pipe- 2-2 which extends intothe; lower end of the tank belowthaplate- I! for the purpose of creatingan; upward circulation of the heated oil. This-pipe 22%terminatesinahorizontal closed endlportionasecuredtothelower-side of thebounce plate51 and: proyidedawith a series. of apertures- 23- registeringwithsimilar apertures 25a: in. the bounce plate.) The liquid is; forced by:thezpump through theseaperturese Asecond. delivery chute 25: isprovided'rextending vertical-1y downwardinto: the: upper end of. thetanhthroughwhich additional articles maybe dropped or lowered into the;tank. if; desired.

While we have showna; particular embodiment. of our invention, it will,besunderstood, of. course, that we donot, wish. tobe limited. theretosince: many modifications: may be: made andwe there.- fore contemplatebythe'appended claimsto cover pump means connected to said conduit forsupplying liquid to said conduit under a predeterminedz pressure,saidiconduit being provided with aperture? means for directing a curtainof liquid across tlie-lowerend of said chute thereby to preduits, saidconduits being providedwith-apertures in their adjacent walls'fordirecting: opposed jets of liquid 'i-na.downward direction acrossthelower end ofsaid chute thereby to-prevent splashing ofthe'liqu-idupwardinto" said chute by articles fall'- ing into sai'dta-nk.

' HARRY E; SCARBROUGH.

. NORMAN B. JONES.

REFERENCES err-En The following: references: are of record in. the fileof this. patent:

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